Process and apparatus for refining industrial metals in the molten state



kaline treatment of the molten metal is eifect means of the mixture as described in the 3 Patented Oct. 7, 1930 I it i UNITED STATES PATENT-OFFICE JOHN ANDREW JACK, F LETGHWORTH, ENGLAND PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR REFINING INDUSTRIAL METALS IN THE MOLTEN- i v STATE No Drawing. Application filed March 31, 1928, Serial No. 266,464, and in Great Britain March 6, 1928;

This invention relates to improvements in other suitable form of carbon to such refracapparatus used in the refining of industrial tory material results in an increased life of metals in the molten state, and it refers espethe lining of between seven and fiftyfold that cially to refractory materials for use in oper of a similar lining containing no added carations where molten metals are treated with bon, whereby the cost of re-lining is reduced alkaline or alkaline earth oxides, hydroxides to such an extent as to make the purifying opor carbonates. eration already described capable of economi- It is generally known that when molten cal industrial application. iron or steel is treated with certain 'oxldes, The percentage of carbon added may be hydroxides or carbonates of the alkalis or between 5% and 25% of the weight of they,

alkaline earths, silicon and sulphur are refractory material and the addition may be wholly or partly removed from the iron or made by intimately mixing the necessary steel according to the nature and quantity quantities of carbon and the refractorymaof the agent and the conditions under which terial while both are in the powdered state.

the treatment is applied. If, for example, By way of example, 90 parts of ganister 6Q molten iron or steel is treated with a suitable V clay or other suitable refractory material amount of sodium carbonate under suitable comprising 90% by weight of silica such as conditions, considerable portions'of the siliganister may be mixed with 10 parts by con and sulphur originally present in the weight of powdered graphite, the mixing bemetal enter into combination with the sodium ing effected in any suitable type of apparatus. 6 radical forming a slag of relatively low spe- With this mixture may be incorporated a cific gravity. This slag rises to the surface of sufiicient quantity of water so that a paste 01' the molten metal and can be removed by skimdough of a consistency suitable for subsequent ming or other suitable method. manipulation is produced. a

Although this method for the control of The mixture prepared as described may 70 sulphur and silicon in metals has been ge then be applied to the ladle or other container erally known, it has hitherto been incapable 'in which the alkaline treatment already deof economical industrial application on acib d i t b li d Thi may b ff tcount of the fact that under the conditions ed, f example by means f a Suitably of the treatment .the.alkallne f used signed plug which can be used as a mould 75 enters into combinat on with the slliceous the lining the prepared mixture being Boljtlon of the refractory mateirml .used f rammed into the space between the plu and llnlng the ladle or OtllGILCOlltLlIlGI in which the Container the treatment 1S apphed" The effect of Alternatively, the mixture prepared as dethis combination is that the refractor .lin- 1mg rapidly disappears as molten slag g the scribed may be cast or moulded into suitable cost of repeatedly re-lining the container renf baked fired so as pliodllce ders the method uneconomical' a rigld article which can be used for building According to the present invention the al- P g- In this case joints are made y ed in a ladle or container lined with refracstate of a paste or dough. tory material comprising 90% by weight of What I clalm 1s silica such as ganister with which carbon has 1. A contalner for holding molten indusbeel incorporated. Experiments show that trial metalsduring the alkal ne treatment the a mixture of graphitaplumbago QI'EQmQ thereof; which is lined with gender int mately mixed with 5% to 25% by weight of carbon.

2. A container for holding molten industrial metal during the alkaline treatment 7 5 thereof which is lined with a substance comprising 90% or more by weight of silica intimately mixed with 5% to 25% by Weight of carbon.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as 0 my invention I have signed my name this 16th dayofMarch, 1928. M a *JOHN- ANDREW JAGK. 

